| 11. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with ve-hinne {וְהִנֵּה | və-ḥin-nê} ‘and behold’, highlighting the shift to leadership instructions. The construct lə-kōl dəḇār Yahweh {לְכֹל דְּבַר־יְהוָה | lə-ḵōl də-ḇār yə-hô-wāh} ‘in every matter of the LORD’ establishes religious jurisdiction. Parallel constructs Amaryahu kohēn hā-rōʾš {אֲמַרְיָהוּ כֹּהֵן הָרֹאשׁ | ʾă-mar-yā-hû kō-hên hā-rō-ʼāš} and Zəvadyāhû ben Yišmāʻēl hā-nāgîḏ {וּזְבַדְיָהוּ בֶן־יִשְׁמָעֵאל הַנָּגִיד | û-zə-ḇa-dyā-hû ben yiš-mā-ʼêl hā-nā-ḡîḏ} delineate religious and royal authority. The phrases lə-ḇêt Yəhûḏāh {לְבֵית־יְהוּדָה | lə-ḇêt yə-hû-ḏāh} ‘over the house of Judah’ and dəḇār-ham-méleḵ {דְּבַר־הַמֶּלֶךְ | də-ḇār ham-mé-leḵ} ‘matter of the king’ reinforce this hierarchy. The paired imperatives ḥizqû and wə-ʿăśû {חִזְקוּ | ḥiz-qû; וַעֲשׂ֔וּ} call for both inner resolve and outward action. The jussive vi-hyî Yahweh ʿim-hattōḇ {וִיהִי יְהוָה עִם־הַטּוֹב | wî-hi-yî yə-hô-wāh ʿim-hat-tōḇ} ‘and may the LORD be with the good’ concludes with a covenantal blessing linking divine presence to moral integrity. English renderings preserve the Hebrew structure and emphasis on authority and encouragement. |